Aldmeris (Continent)
Aldmeris is the mythical continent of the Aldmer, home to the ancestor of the elves of Tamriel. It is located southwest of the Summerset Isles and its size is roughly two and a half times that of the Altmer province. It was once a part of the supercontinent that covered most of Nirn, Old Ehlnofey, before it was split apart during the Ehlnofey War. Aldmeris was where Auri-El, God of Time and King of the Gods, took his followers following the sundering of Old Ehlnofey. Goverment Auri-El ruled Aldmeris before his ascension. After which his eldest son became the Aran, or King, of his kingdom. The whole continent is united under one monarch and one family, the Twyllar, or Royal House, whom are the direct descendants of Auri-El. The Twyllar rules in an absolute monarchy, holding all the 3 governmental powers. The Aran rules from the capital of Cularane. Below the Aran are the Vendis Tur, or High Lords, and their Twyllesh, or High Noble Houses. They rule over the Vendfal, or Lordship Region, and reside in its main city. Under them are be the Tur, or Lords, and their Twyll, or Noble House. They are minor nobility that rule over minor settlements or live in major settlements. The Vendfal are named after their capital city. Geography Aldmeris has ten diverse biomes covering its surface. From the snowy climate of the southern mountains to the dense forests of the central lands, to even desert badlands in the east. Thanks to this kind of diversity, the continent is home to a number of different types of fauna and flora, as well many creatures that live alongside the races. The biomes are: Mafreton Mafreton, or Winter Mountains, is the southern most region of Aldmeris. It is covered in high mountain peaks and is almost always covered in snow year-round. The region has a few forests located in the valleys in between the mountains. It is home to the Fanacas as well as snowy golems. Because of the cold climate of the mountains of Mafreton, it is one of the least populated areas, save for a few settlements and religious chantries covering the region. The people of Mafreton's main source of food is hunting, with crops and other sources being imported into the region. The most prominent location in the region is Gilbek. Elenelda Elenelda, or Oak Leaf, is the expansive forest region located in the center of Aldmeris. Most of the region is covered in dense forests, though the south has numerous hills and some mountains near the border with the mountainous regions of Mafreton, Bal Core and Torfarca. The region is plentiful in wildlife, fauna and flora. It is home to the Ebonnayne, Laure, Golems and Dryads. Because of the dense forests the region has relatively few settlements, the only sizable settlements are located outside the dense forest areas. It is a part of three different Vendfal. The most prominent location in the region is the capital city of Cularane, located right on the border of Elenelda and Pen Hyarna. Polis Orn Polis Orn, or Seedy Grasslands, is the large plains region located in southeastern Aldmeris. Because of the expansive fields and grasslands of the region, as well as the large Voorbas river, it is filled with farmlands and pastures. The region is the breadbasket of Aldmeris, where most of its agricultural goods comes from. The region is also the only one of the biomes to be split in half as two Vendfal. Polis Orn is home to the Laure and is one of the most populated regions in all of Aldmeris. The most prominent locations in the region are Sancarnen and Rynquellis. Morifel Morifel, or Badlands, is the eastern region. It is covered in desert plains, with rocky formations, caverns and a canyon where the area's only river runs. It has the hottest climate in all of Aldmeris and is the second least populated area by far. Only one settlement is located in Morifel, that of Quinath in the canyon where the Camunbruk runs. The only inhabitants are the citizens of Quinath and the Raboth. All of the region's food is imported from either Quanorin or Polis Orn, as nothing grows in Morifel despite the presence of the Camunnence, or Red Lagoon. Bal Tore Bal Tore, or Stone Hill, is separated into three regions: Bal Cor, or Stone Highland; Bal Karn, or Stone Peninsula; and Torfarca, or Hill Bay. The Bal Tore region is as mountainous as Mafreton, except that its climate is significantly warmer. It has a temperate climate, as opposed to the snowy tundra of the south. The region is separated into three different Vendfal. The region is home to Laure and Golems. Despite the mountainous terrain the area is still able to grow crops in certain places and that along with hunting makes it pretty self sustaining. The most prominent location in the region is Carcava. Quanorin Quanorin, or Dry East, is the region just north of Morifel. It is covered in vast expansive savannas and to the south it is far sandier due to the proximity to the badlands. The region has a significant population, it is home to the Nume. The primary resource in Quanorin is cattle, as the people that live there are mostly herders. There are numerous settlements in the region but only one city, that of Ninecia, the other settlements are small tribe-like villages. The region is constantly invaded by the Raboth. Eculmora Eculmora, or Beach Forest, is the northernmost region of Aldmeris. It spans all the northern coast of the continent. Eculmora is covered in a tropical forest and beaches, but also a few more rocky areas. Numerous coastal settlements are located along the region's shores. The region is home to Laure, Nume, Dryads and even some Ebonnayne where the coast meets Elenelda. The primary resource of the region is fishing. The most prominent location in Eculmora is Bellarchen. Val Fiera Val Fiera, or Hill Islands, is the easternmost region of Aldmeris. It is composed of three different islands: Val Cira, or Amber Hill; Val Ulun, or Blue Hill; and Val Bos, or Green Hill. Like Eculmora, the region is covered in tropical forests and jungles. Because of the rainforests of the region, the settlements on the islands are generally on the coast of the islands. The primary resource of the region is fishing and hunting. The area is home to Laure and Dryads. The most prominent location in Val Fiera is Ciraheim, located on the island of Val Cira. Gorihame Gorihame, or Mystical Sanctuary, is the island region located inside Maakailin, or Dragon's Mouth Lake. It is the smallest of the geographical regions, but is the most diverse. The whole region is heavily imbued with magic and the island's surface is covered in countless alchemical ingredients. The only settlement on the whole island is the Horstagea, as such it is the least populated area, with the only people on the island being those at the school. Hyarna Hyarna, or Marsh, is a region separated in half. Its two halves being: Pen Hyarna and Vetu Hyarna, or Central and West respectively. The whole region is covered in fertile wet lands and marshes. In Pen Hyarna the famous Adadiren, or God's River, runs. In Vetu Hyarna, the Direncele, or Silver River, runs. There are numerous settlements and farms in the area. It is one of the more populated regions and is home to the Laure and Dryads. The most prominent location is the capital, that is located at the tail of the Adadiren on the border with Elenelda. Locations Numerous settlements and locations exist spread throughout the continent of Aldmeris, though in each Vendfal there is one capital city. Those capital cities are where the Vendis Tur, in Cularane's case the Aran, rule from and they are: Cularane Cularane, or King's Ascension, is the capital of Aldmeris. The city can be seen from miles away in every direction as it is atop the only mountain located in between Elenelda and Pen Hyarna. The waterfall, that descends from the top of the city's peak, is also the source of the Adadiren that flows to the Adaglothyn ', or ''God's Bay. The bay is connect to '''Adarelle, or God's Sea. At the very top of the city stands a huge statue of Auri-El that is constantly illuminated by magic, so that it can be seen at any time of the day. As the capital of Aldmeris it is the center of its government, so the Aran of the Aldmer resides at its palace located on the highest district of the city. Instead of stairs, magical platforms lift people and goods up to the different districts of the city. Because of its location it is highly defensible from any attack, as access to the city can be cut off by shutting off the magical platforms. Sancarnen Sancarnen, or Water's Gold, is the second largest city in Aldmeris as well as its central economic trading hub. As such it is considered the wealthiest city by some, even more so than Cularane. It is located on Karnorg, or Orgnum's Peninsula, and at the mouth of Adarelle. It controls all trade coming into the sea and because it is located in Polis Orn it also brings in goods from the nearby plains and exports it to the rest of the continent, due to sea travel being the fastest way to get past the rough terrain of some regions of the continent. The city is home to one of the last few Et'Ada of Aldmeris: Orgnum, the God of the Sea and Commerce. Gilbek Gilbek, or Ice Village, is the largest settlements that dot the region of Mafreton, though it is significantly smaller than the other main cities of Aldmeris. It is located near Etonfarca, or Mountain Bay. Because of the cold climate, the people of Mafreton's main source of food is hunting, with crops and other sources being imported into the region. The city is also the main entrance into the Mafreton region, as it is easier to travel in from the bay than to brave the mountain trails from Elenelda or Torfarca. Ciraheim Ciraheim ', or ''Amber Cliff, is the largest settlement of Val Fiera, residing on the northern tip of Val Cira. It is mainly a large keep, with a small town having sprung up around it. The Great Tower, '''Cirahame or Amber Sanctuary, is where the Vendis Tur of the islands live. Because of the small size of the islands and the fact that they are covered in jungles, Ciraheim sustains itself with fishing and hunting in the jungles, with crops and other things such as wine being imported from Polis Orn. Quinath Quinath, or the Abyss, is the only settlement in the entirety of Morifel, due to the region's inhospitable nature. Quinath is built deep in a canyon, along Camunbruk, or Red River, one of the only sources of water in the entire region. It houses a large prison named Canoth, or Dungeon, where the majority of Aldmeris' criminals are interred. All of Quinath's food is brought to them along supply lines and trade routes, except for the few times when hunters can find a herd of creatures to eat. The city's population is mostly composed by the Ardapelin. Carcava Carcava, or Hill House, is the third largest city in Aldmeris and is located in the region of Bal Cor. It is famous for housing many schools and universities, as well as holding the most prestigious university in all of Aldmeris, Agarryne or Home of Knowledge. All the continent's best scholars study at Agarryne. The city is also home to Auri-El's scribe and God of Knowledge and Ancestry: Xarxes. The city also gets plenty of income from mines in the surrounding mountains, which it exports north to the river in Vetu Hyarna, Direncele. Bellarchen Bellarchen, or Stormcastle, is the largest settlement in Eculmora, the coastal region of Aldmeris. It is renowned for the fact that the buildings sport gardens atop them. It is a thriving port, though not nearly as large as Sancarnen, and is the home of the Lord High Admiral of the Aldmeris Navy. Belarchen subsists on fishing and the cultivation of large birds for food and sometimes for clothes. It is largely self sustaining. It is located along the northwestern coast, and connects to the Direncele by use of canals. Ninecia Ninecia, or Desert Flower, is the largest settlement in Quanorin, really the only settlement larger than a small village due to the living preference of the region's people. Ninencia is the exception to that. The city serves as the first stop from Morifel and supplies Quinath with most of its imported goods. Like the rest of Quanorin, the city's main resource is cattle, though it gets vegetables and other agricultural goods from northern Quanorin. Rynquellis Rynquellis, or Home of Sex, is the second largest city of Polis Orn, the most populated area of Aldmeris, after Sancarnen. It is located on the shores of the Voorbas, or Womb River Basin, the largest river on Aldmeris. It is the fourth largest city in Aldmeris and is famous for being the residence of Sodahrin, Goddess of Rain and Fertility. Like Sancarnen, the city is a hub for agricultural trade, as it trades with all the farms in southern Polis Orn, but nowhere near the level of the port city to the west. It mainly exports to Val Fiera. Minor Locations *Alfbaacia: A village located in northern Elenelda, it is named after the honey trees that grow around it and are its main export. *Athbale: A village located in southern Mafreton, built into the side of a mountain. *Bosbruk: A village located in eastern Pen Hyarna. Population Aldmer The main race that inhabits the continent. The Aldmer are the ancestors of all the elven races of Tamriel and they themselves are descendant from the Aedra: Et'Ada and the Old Ehlnofey. They make up nearly 80% of the population of Aldmeris. Their language is the common tongue of the continent. The Aldmer make heavy use of Buroth, or Slaves. They are a mix of thralls, enslaved creatures and indentured servants. The thralls are summoned atronachs or similar conjured beings. These would only be used in specific situations. The enslaved creatures are usually Golems and Dryads. They would be the most commonly used. The indentured servants are minor criminals that work off their sentence instead of sitting in a cell. They are also used regularly. Ethnicity *'Laure', or Golden. They have golden skin, golden hair and golden eyes. They are the ones that most closely resemble Auri-El and the other gods the most thus they are considered the most "perfect" Aldmer. They are the most common ethnicity of Aldmer. *'Fanacas', or Pale. Their skin, hair and eyes take the color of pale/worn gold. They exclusively inhabit the region of Mafreton. They are generally seen as inferior to most other Aldmer, especially the Laure. *'Nume', or Bronze. They have bronze skin and their hair and eyes are rusted gold. They live in northeastern Aldmeris. They are seen a bit more favorably than the Fanacas and Ebonnayne but are still considered inferior to the Laure. *'Ebonnayne', or Dark-haired. They have dark gold skin, with darker eyes and hair than other Aldmer. They live in the dense florests of Elenelda. They are generally though of as the least perfect Aldmer. They are the smallest ethnicity. It is commonly thought that they breed with Dryads. Culture The people of Aldmeris, because of the influence of other Aedra, began to have different views on the core Aldmer ideas. This caused different cultures to surface on the continent that made the Aldmer people have a few ideological differences among themselves, differences that would someday cause them to split apart for good. The cultures of the Aldmer are: *Central Aldmer - The Aldmer that live in the center of the continent, in and around the capital city of Cularana, are deeply devoted to their king and to Auri-El. They try to achieve perfection by being better than everyone else. To them, to be perfect means to be superior. As such they hone numerous skills, from the arts to crafts to magic and knowledge. They are very keen on nobility, but view those different than them as inferior, and in most cases less civilized. The central Aldmer also use a lot of Buroth, to do the hard work in their daily lives. *Bal Cor Aldmer - The Aldmer of Bal Cor and the surrounding area share the ideal that perfection equals knowledge, above all else. This comes from influence from Xarxes and his universities in the region. The only way to advance in the Bal Cor culture is to be intelligent. They look down on those not as smart as them. The Bal Cor Aldmer dedicate themselves solely to the pursuit of knowledge, even if said knowledge might go against Aldmeri Religion. As such they are more cynical than other Aldmer. Like the central Aldmer they make heavy use of Buroth. *Sancarnen Aldmer - The Aldmer from Sancarnen and nearly all the other towns and cities in Polis Orn were heavily influenced by Orgnum. To them the more money and influence you hold the more perfect you are. Sancarnen Aldmer are known to be very greedy and untrustworthy because of that. If stabbing you in the back will increase their political or economic standing then you can be sure that is what they will do. Like the central Aldmer they make heavy use of servants. *Mafreton Aldmer - The Aldmer that live in Mafreton are arguably the most spiritually devoted Aldmer in the continent. To them perfection is only achievable through faith and unyielding belief in Auri-El. They are known for the multiple sanctuaries built in the snowy mountains, for isolated reflection and meditation. They live in harsh conditions so they tend to help each other to survive, and even help any outsiders that they encounter. They make little use of Buroth. *Elenelda Aldmer - The smallest cultural group, living in small tribe-like settlements in the dense forest of Elenelda. These Aldmer were heavily influenced by Cest-Bet, who taught them compassion for their fellow living creatures. They see perfection as achieving total harmony with wildlife. Some of her followers go as far as to not eat any animal or creature. They make no use of Buroth, though some that can control animals through magic use them to help in certain tasks. *Quanorin Aldmer - The Quanorin Aldmer that live in the arid Savannah of the northeast received influence from both Trinimac and Cest-Bet. From Trinimac they learned the value of strength and from Cest-Bet compassion, though only for their own. To them perfection means strength, strength to protect ones family and friends. They live in small communities and as such build close ties with each other. Many of them also join the army when they come of age, to serve under Trinimac. They are known to be fierce warriors, as they have to fend off attack from the Desert Tunnelers on a regular basis. *Rynquellis Aldmer - The Rynquellis Aldmer live in the farms of Polis Orn and in Vendfal Rynquellis. They took much influence from both Sodahrin, but also from Xen. Unlike other Aldmer they don't mind during hard labor and refrain from using use of Buroth, only on very rare occasions when they can't do a task themselves. They view the path to perfection as peace of mind, personal happiness. They have much pride in their hard work. They are very kind to others and get joy from helping when they can. *Fiera Aldmer - The Aldmer of the Val Fiera are devout followers of Phynaster. Because of this they see someone as perfect when he is more cunning than the rest. While they aren't as likely to stab someone in the back as the greedy Sancarnen Aldmer, the Fiera Aldmer tend to use tricks and subterfuge to get their way. Though they are still very noble in their manners, being as strict with etiquette as the Central Aldmer. They are a very charismatic people as a result, and know how to play people right into their hands. Et'Ada Et'Ada, or Original Spirits, are race of gods that inhabit Aldmeris. They are the spirits that helped Auri-El and Lorkhan create Mundus, just like the Ehlnofey. The Et'Ada, however, didn't love as much of their divinity as the Ehlnofey and were able to maintain much of their godly powers. Despite this the Et'Ada's body can die by injury or disease, only their spirit is truly immortal. When their body dies they are capable of making a new one, though that process would take a portion of their power. When their body dies they are said to have ascended into godhood once more, so they rarely chose to make a new body. They only make up about 1% of Aldmeris' population, but are worshiped by the Aldmer as their main gods. They are Aedra, ancestors of the Aldmer. Any child of a Et'Ada is born an Aldmer. While in truth the Et'Ada can take any form they wish, they choose to closely resemble Auri-El's perfect form. Ehlnofey Ehlnofey, or First Mortals, are the race of demigods that inhabit Aldmeris. They were original spirits before the creation of Mundus caused them to lose nearly all their divine essence. Unlike the Et'Ada they are considered mortal, despite not aging. They can die from injury or disease, but are incapable of making a new body once they do. The Ehlnofey make up around 19% of the continent's population. There are two types of Ehlnofey: Old Ehlnofey and Wandering Ehlnofey. The Old Ehlnofey are Aedra, as such any child of an Old Ehlofey is born an Aldmer. They make up the majority of the Ehlnofey population in Aldmeris. Like the Et'Ada they chose to resemble Auri-El's perfect form, though unlike the Et'Ada they aren't capable of freely shape-shifting into anything they desire. Some Old Ehlnofey are worshiped as minor gods. The Wandering Ehlnofey are not Aedra. They are wandering spirits that live in secluded parts of Aldmeris. They take countless different forms and their descendants are the flora and fauna of the continent. There are few of them left after the Ehlnofey War. Because they aren't well liked by the Aedra or the Aldmer, they tend to be very isolationists and almost never go near any of them. Dryad Dryads are isolationist forest dwellers. They live primarily in the dense forests of the Elenelda region, but also live in Pen Hyarna, Vetu Hyarna, Eculmora and the Val islands. They share no relation to the Aldmer as they are descendants of Wandering Ehlnofey while the Aldmer are descendants of Et'Ada and Old Ehlnofey. The Aldmer mostly leave them alone, though sometimes they capture them to serve as Buroth. However, they live in peace with the Ebonnayne. Compared to the Aldmer, the Dryads live short lives. They are thought to be half plant. Golem Golems, called Calis in their true form, are gentle nature spirits that use stones to create a body in order to protect themselves. They never attack unless they themselves are attacked. They live in the mountains in the Bal Cor, Mafreton, Torfarca and Bal Karn regions, as well as southern Elenelda's few mountains. In their true form they appear almost pixie-like, relatively small and pretty defenseless save for the few spells that they can cast. They are fairly intelligent however, but are generally cravens and isolationists. In their stone form they are taller than any Aldmer and stronger than any inhabitant of the continent. Their strength and kind nature make them prime candidates for servants, and so the Aldmer use magic to enslave the spirits and use them for hard manual labor that requires much strength. The Calis is made up almost entirely of magicka, as such they can be used to enchant items by using spells that transform the creature's lifeforce into an enchantment. Because of this, Calis are hunted, sold and used, particularly by mages. Raboth The Raboth, or Desert Tunnelers, are Goblin-like creatures that live in burrows and tunnels in Morifel's badlands. They are highly aggressive and constantly attacking the nearby Aldmer, most notably the Nume to the north. The Aldmer have tried to wipe them out, but they breed like cockroaches so for every one they kill there are a hundred more where he came from. Religion A big staple of all Aldmer cultures is religion and the ideas of Auri-El. The goal of all Aldmer is to achieve perfection so that they can ascend to godhood just as Auri-El showed them. Auri-El, their King of the Gods, "died" and ascended to godhood in front of their eyes. This event is also what began the Merethic Era, as Auri-El's ascension made time linear. The Aldmer believe that those that achieve perfection by the time of their death are able to ascend to godhood as they join Auri-El in Aetherius, in the place they call the Eternal City or Kogostani. Those that do not achieve perfection by the time of their deaths have their souls sent to the Underwold or Semnirn, a realm that is said to be a part of Oblivion. The Aldmer worship their ancestors, the Aedra. The main deities are the Et'Ada, the more powerful Aedra, while the minor gods are some famous Old Ehlnofey. There are numerous gods in the Aldmeri pantheon because of this, but the main ones are: *Auri-El: King of the Gods. God of Time and Perfection. Patron to Nobles. Called Auri-El the Divine. Has ascended. *Trinimac: God of Strength and Justice. Auri-El's Champion. Patron to Warriors. Called Trinimac the Warrior. *Phynaster: God of Cunning and Stealth. Auri-El's Agent. Patron to Rogues. Called Phynaster the Rogue. *Syrabane: God of Magic and Wisdom. Auri-El's Magister. Patron to Mages. Called Syrabane the Mage. *Xarxes: God of Knowledge and Ancestry. Auri-El's Scribe. Patron to Scholars. *Orgnum: God of the Sea and Commerce. Auri-El's Steward. Patron to Merchants and Fishers. *Jephre: God of the Forest and the Arts. Auri-El's Minstrel. Patron to Artists. Has ascended. *Xen: God of Crafts and Labor. Auri-El's Blacksmith. Patron to Craftsmen. Has ascended. *Sodahrin: Goddess of the Rain and Fertility. Auri-El's Consort. Patron to Farmers and Women. *Haegala: Goddess of the Underwold and Imperfection. Auri-El's Headsman. Patron to the Imperfect. Was punished by Auri-El into ruling the realm of the Imperfect. *Cest-Bet: Goddess of Animals and Compassion. Auri-El's Huntress. Patron to Hunters. Factions Ardapelin The Ardapelin, or Loyal Warriors, are the military of Aldmeris. While they serve their Aran, they are led by Trinimac and are mainly composed by his worshipers. The Ardapelin protect the people of Aldmeris and keeping order, serving as guards and soldiers. They garrison the various settlements and Dare, or Forts, of the continent. They also are the main population of Quinath in Morifel, that serves as their main military base and a prison for the worse criminals in the continent. Their cavalry is made up primarily of Quanorin Aldmer. The Aldmeri Navy is also a part of the Ardapelin. Tatayla The Tatayla, or Invisible Hand, are the secret hand of the Aran. His agents, spies and assassins, if need be. They are led by Phynaster and their main base is located on Val Cira, called Vahtadar or Secret Fort. Their usual actions involve spying on possible enemies of the Twyllar, but they also hunt and kill cultists. Most people in Aldmeris aren't aware of their existence, though the nobility of the continent is well aware of their activities. They answer directly to the Aran and as such have the jurisdiction to do as they please to carry out his orders. Many of their members are Fiera Aldmer, as the inhabitants of the islands are already Phynaster worshipers. Horstagea Horstagea ', or ''Shrine of Wisdom, is the secluded shrine of Syrabane, located on the island of Gorihame. The shrine, which is in fact a large palace located in the magical island, serves as a school of magic. It is the most prestigious school of magic on the whole continent. Syrabane himself resides in Horstagea serving as '''Cunemerati, or Archmaster, of the school that he created to further the teachings of Elder Magicka. Because Gorihame is a magical hotspot and covered with countless alchemical ingredients it is the best place to learn any form of magic. Only skilled mages can even make it to the island to join the school, as Gorihame is protected by a mystical mist, called Pyanda, that makes it impossible to reach the shore unless one can properly counteract with it. The mages of Horstagea are generally worshipers of Syrabane, but they too ultimately serve their Aran. A mage that graduates from Horstagea is considered among the best in all of Aldmeris and are guaranteed much fame and renown. Gallery Aldmeris Waterways.png|The various waterways of Aldmeris Aldmeris size comparison.png|A size comparison of Aldmeris to Tamriel Aldmeris Location.png|Aldmeris' location in relation to Tamriel Category:Merethic Canon Category:Locations